Full Breakdown
Buçaco National Forest Becomes the World’s Fourth Certified Therapeutic Forest
8/16/2026, 9:13:52 PM
Certification Milestone
Buçaco National Forest in Luso, Portugal, has been officially certified as the world’s fourth “therapeutic forest.” The designation, granted by the Healing Forest International Certification Office, is valid through 2031 and makes Buçaco the first therapeutic forest on the Iberian Peninsula.
Therapeutic Forest Context
Therapeutic forests are woodland areas that meet specific criteria: a near-natural state, dedicated zones for therapeutic activities, a network of variable-difficulty paths, and the availability of trained forest-therapy professionals. Prior to Buçaco’s certification, the only recognized sites were the Göttweig Healing Forest in Austria and the Lahnstein and Bad Nauheim forests in Germany.
Governance and Leadership
The forest’s governing body, the Fundação Mata do Buçaco, oversees its natural, architectural, and cultural heritage. Gonçalo Breda Marques, president of the foundation, highlighted the forest’s global significance and the responsibilities that accompany the new status.
Health Benefits and Data
Research cited by the International Society for Forest Therapy indicates that “forest bathing” can lower stress markers. A 2019 meta-analysis reported reductions in serum and salivary cortisol levels, while a 2022 meta-analysis found significant decreases in stress and blood-pressure among urban residents. Another 2019 study linked at least 120 minutes of weekly nature exposure to overall health improvements. Buçaco’s biodiversity includes roughly 250 tree and shrub species and more than 56 mammal, bird, bat, and amphibian species, some of which are rare or endangered.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This certification, which places us among the four therapeutic forests worldwide and as the first on the Iberian Peninsula, gives us global status and brings with it great responsibility,” — Gonçalo Breda Marques, the president of the Buçaco foundation
